Software

Question

Get Parental Control off my PC

Following a recent "update" I now find that I have a Nanny sitting on my PC that refuses to allow me access to certain websites - not all of them "naughty" - it even blocked me downloading an update of Adobe Reader, so I can't even access my PDF files.

I looked around for some help; went into IE Internet Options, opened Content Advisor and had to fill out a password to enable me to set all the sliders to "push off, Nanny" - with no effect at all.

I emailed Microsoft, and actually got a response. However, they said, go to Control Panel, User Accounts, then click on Parental Control. I could do the first two, but the third doesn't appear as an option. I emailed them to tell them this, and their response is to tell me to post a question in the Microsoft Answers Forum - they obviously find my question too difficult for their tiny little minds.

Just to set the record straight: I'm 60 years old, there are no children in my life, much less on my PC - I think I'm old enough to be able to decide for myself where I want to go and what I want to see (that's what the little x in the top forner is for) and I strongly object to being controlled by *someone else's* idea of what I may or may not be allowed to do!

Clarifications

Thanks, Peeps. I did try going in as Administrator (the only way I know how to do that is to restart in Safe Mode) and set all "permission" bars to the rdightmost edge, "unrestricted". No go. I tried disengaging the function. No go.

I've just been in as Administrator and tried both options again. Zilch. Came back in as me and still zilch.

Gjot a couple of pages up when I went for one site: first one said s"problem with site's security certificates" - I clicked "go ahead" anyway,. and got another which said: "blocked on this network, see your Network Administrator"

I AM my network administrarot, wtf is happening? or not happening?

Thinking of chucking IE altogether and trying another browser.

What would people suggest as an alternative?

couple of points: I'm severely visually impaired, and have the screen resolution set at its lowest, and still need font 24 - Firefox uses the default font setting, which is annoying, as the box overflows the screen and there's not scroll bar to get at it - also, when I do click on one of the menus I can see, all I get is the first two or three letters of the first word, which is very helpful!

Is there a way to adjust Firefox's font size (that I can get at with half the box offscreen)? there's no point me changing the resolution to get all the box onscreen as I then won't be able to read anything!

9th March update: I found a "contact us" on the OpenDNS site, and used it. Apparently I hadn't registered a network, though I had: but I hadn't downloaded and installed the Windows software that was on the same page.

Done that. Apparently things are working ok now: I can get to Fetlife, and I ddeliberately did'nt put it in "never block". I've been trying to find the tattoo site that it previously blocked because of "sexuality", but I've been to several other sites with no problems.

Since then, when I open the PC, I get an OpenDNS box asking do I want to update or ... I usually x it off; I don't want to get into this any deeper than I have to to regain control of my PC.

So it seems that the problem is solved (she said with her fingers crossed!). But I'll keep this page in my favourites in case of future glitches.

I'd like to thank everyone for their time and patience - you're brilliant, all of you!

So did you try turning Content Adviser off?

I know that I don't have it enabled on this system and simply do not have an issue with it at all but as stated above you need to be logged in as the Administrator to make changes.

However as you are a Youngster I can fully understand why it is required to control what it is you attempt to do. After all you may try using products not supplied by Microsoft and that just wouldn't be Cricket would it? :^0

Reponse To Answer

In IE left click on Tools and from the Drop Down List highlight Smart Screen Filter. A Sub Menu appears and you need to left click on Turn Off Smart Screen Filter and follow the prompts.

I seem to remember Smart Screen Filter was a Add On to IE a while ago so it may have been a update to that recently which is what your problem currently is. I don't think it's in any way related to Parental Controls but I could be wrong.

XP homeless is it?

there is no "run as administrator" in XP homeless and stand alone or workgroup XP-Pro systems doesn't require it if the user is in the administrators group

in XP homeless you can access "The Default Administrator" account only in safe mode other users in the administrators group still don't have full access to do administrative taskseg. security tab on NTFS files / folders properties dialog only appears in "The Administrator" account in safe mode

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